Buyers remorse may not be that big a deal when you're talking about a sweater, a chair or a small ticket item, but when were talking about a house, that's a huge chunk of change to make a mistake on. We want our buyers to feel confident about their purchase not just while they're making the purchase but for years after.
Here's a great homebuying checklist that could keep you from buying the wrong house.
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Consider your daily routine. Do you prefer the washer and dryer close to the bedrooms? Are there enough bedrooms for your current family or maybe potential family in the future? Is the kitchen closed off to the rest of the house and you prefer a more open layout? Will you be going up and down stairs too often for your tastes. The layout is something that is extremely difficult to change in an existing home so make sure it works for your lifestyle and routine.
Check out the neighborhood.
Learning all you can about the neighborhood usually takes years but you can give yourself a good head start by talking to the neighbors on what they love and what they hate about the neighborhood. Does it have steep roads that will be difficult to maneuver in icy or wintery weather? Is there a restaurant, market, coffee shop, bank or gas station close by? Other sex offenders that live in the neighborhood? Are you close to good schools? Are there loud, barking dogs that keep people at all hours of the night? Of course, some things can change in a neighborhood as people move in and move out but getting a good sense of the neighborhood you're going to live in will help you make a better decision.
Is the yard up to your standards?
If you prefer a low maintenance type of yard that having a zero lot line or very minimal yard might be perfect however, if you have pets that like to roam free, kids that like to throw a baseball in the backyard or you'd like some space for a garden, take serious note of the backyard space.
Does the home allow for your personal items?
Sometimes when you move into a house you realize that your garbage can does not fit where you'd like it to go, your chairs or couches don't go with the layout very well or you have no place to put your TV. These are all items you should have running over in your mind as a mental note of where your items are going to be once you move into the house. If it simply doesn't make sense you may realize that you'll have to buy a whole lot of new furniture and that can get expensive. It's the little things that can drive you crazy but they are worth making note of. Also, do you have enough space in the kitchen for all your pots, pans and pantry items?
Which way does the house face?
You'll want to think this through because if you get more sun in the backyard been in the front yard you may find yourself spending more time in one place or the other and it might not be convenient for your lifestyle. For instance: if your backyard is really the best place for outdoor living but gets the majority of the hot sun on the summer afternoons you may find yourself not wanting to even spend time in your backyard. Also, how much sun will the house get and is there air-conditioning or some other type of cooling system so that the house doesn't get sweltering.
All these little details are things that you probably won't realize until you move in and you've lived there for a few months but they are items to keep in your mind when viewing property.
For more information contact our office today or get started looking at homes in Portland on our website for free.
